As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game.

No. 17: Steve McLendon

Last year’s ranking: 17

Position: NT

Age: 32

How acquired: Signed as a free agent to a three-year, $10.5 million contract March 21, 2016

Looking back at 2017: McLendon is one of the most underrated players on the Jets. He has been a strong, much cheaper replacement for the team since they lost Damon Harrison two years ago in free agency.

McLendon is a key piece in the middle of the Jets defense. Pro Football Focus has a stat called “stops.” It is defined as “solo tackles which constitute an offensive failure.” McLendon had a stop on 12.8 percent of his snaps, the second-best rate among nose tackles in the NFL. Only Harrison had a better percentage. McLendon had 34 total stops, fifth among defensive tackles. By comparison, Harrison had 44.

PFF rated McLendon 15th out of 79 nose tackles and defensive tackles. He was eighth against the run and 40th in pass rush. The Jets don’t count on McLendon as a pass rusher, but he did have 1 ½ sacks last year.

The only reason I have McLendon this low is the role of nose tackle is not as prominent as some other positions. McLendon played about 44 percent of the snaps last year.

Outlook for 2018: This is the final year of McLendon’s contract with the Jets and could be his final year with the team. At 32, he is getting older, but if he keeps producing, it would not be shocking to see the Jets bring him back on a short deal after this.

The expectations are high for the Jets defense and McLendon will be expected to be the run stuffer in the middle again. The defensive line is not the fearsome unit it once was with Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson alongside Leonard Williams. Only Williams is left from that group. That will put more of the burden on McLendon to be productive.

During his time with the Jets, McLendon has emerged as a team leader. He is a respected voice in the locker room.